Prologue
Prologue: Title Crimson Dark logo above the image of a Taratane Class Frigate, the Republic Starship Danzig, in space. Prologue: Page 1 Buzzer sounds, waking Kari who slowly focuses on a red sign reading "REPORT FOR DUTY". she complains, leans up in bed and calls for lights. Prologue: Page 2 Kari, in briefs and singlet, searches the wardrobe in her lit quarters with clothing, books and other items strewn across the floor. Some books are neatly stacked on a shelf and a fern sits by the door. Kari pulls on her flight suit, grabs her helmet and appears to look up with a sigh at the thought of flying without coffee. Prologue: Page 3 Nick greets Kari as she exits her quarters but while he is enthusiastic she is less so. They walk down a hall, passing a Daranir Marine and speculating as to the reason for the call to duty. Kari notes that Nick is new and Nick notes that Kari, aka Fury, was previously assigned to a Carrier and made 26 confirmed kills in a single year. They enter Control. Prologue: Page 4 Bob is seen seated in the Control chair, plugged in with physical wires and greets both Nick and Kari. Nick questions why Bob does not use wireless Neurals, he responds that they are too easy to hack and Kari notes that hers have lag issues. Prologue: Page 5 Bob displays a schematic image of a N'Derix class freighter showing the damage it has sustained and notes that it is sending a Broadwave distress signal and the Danzig is calculating for a Sub-Stellar Jump. Kari looks on and notes that it's likely an ambush. Bob lays out the plan for the pilots to investigate while the Danzig maintains distance remarking that N'Derix are often refited by the Alliance for combat and that their Scimitars are ready. Prologue: Page 6 Two Scimitar fighters launch from the Taratane class Starship Danzig with callsigns Merlin and Fury communicating with Control they form up as Nick shouts his enthusiasm and Kari notes they are 1.6 Klicks from the disabled N'Derix class Starship. Prologue: Page 7 Kari is shown in the cockpit of her Scimitar fighter as Nick notes it would be a dirty trick to lure them in with a distress signal. As we get our first visual of the damaged N'Derix freighter Nick communicates that it has no weapons and that the hull, engine and stabalizer appear to have been damaged by heavy weapons fire. Prologue: Page 8 The Scimitar fighters fly on in formation as Nick notes that the broadwave has changed frequency and confirms to Kari that it has zero drift relative to the solar plane. They pass over the N'Derix freighter and realise that its a trap due to the lack of debris and engine damage. Prologue: Page 9 As the Scimitar fighters continue flying over the N'Derix freighter, Kari orders Nick to hit Full Burn back to the Danzig. Suddenly, six Kestrel fighters launch out from within the freighter and persue them. Inside her cockpit, Kari realises that the kestrels are faster and orders Nick to hard turn and take them head on as weapons fire darts around them. Prologue: Page 10 The Scimitar fighters are shown firing upon two of the Kestrel fighters who explode as their four comrades jink to avoid the same fate. Kari orders Nick to chase down two of the survivors as she takes on the other two. Prologue: Page 11 A view from within Kari's Scimitar cockpit through her HUD as she blasts away another Kestrel fighter but spots Nick with one on his tail as he blasts one away and screams for him to jink out. Prologue: Page 12 Nick panics as the Kestrel fighter closes in on him and Kari informs him that she's coming to his aid. Before nick can finish another sentence the Kestrel blasts him away and Kari screams in shock. Prologue: Page 13 Kari blasts away the 5th Kestrel fighter with her Scimitar's cannons but the 6th can be seen closing in on her tail. She blames herself for not protecting Nick then worries about the location of the 6th kestrel. Kari continues her journey back to the Daranir Taratane class frigate R.S. Danzig, Radioing them in on the situation but suddenly spots two Cirin Alliance Gerushda class destroyers, the A.W.S. Hispania and A.W.S. Forester closing in on the ship. Prologue: Page 14 Daranir Taratane class frigate R.S. Danzig sits as the two Cirin Alliance Gerushda class Destroyers prepare to open fire with a broadside of 85L guns from the A.W.S. Hispania and the A.W.S. Forester lining up to fire it's Heavy Lance. The Hispania opens fire and scores heavy hits against the Danzig while the Forester begins to fire it's Heavy Lance. Kari realises in frustration that the broadwave signal from the N'Derix was likely transmitting the location of the Danzig to the Alliance forces so they could Jump in close for attack. Prologue: Page 15 Kari watches on as the Cirin Alliance Gerushda Class destroyer Forester's Heavy Lance smashes through the hull of the Daranir Taratane class frigate R.S. Danzig, begging to God for it to survive but closes her eyes in pain as it is obliterated. Prologue: Page 16 Kari, in shock at Danzig's destruction, then has her Scimitar disabled by the last Kestrel fighter. Facing destruction, she can only sit in her cockpit and stare at the fighter. Prologue: Page 17 Kari's and the Cirin Alliance Kestrel continue to face off against each other as her Scimitar fighter drifts on, helplessly disabled. Kari finds peace as she awaits her death, not feeling upset at the prospect. Suddenly the Kestrel flys away and Kari is left stunned for some time until she comments at how rude it is for the enemy fighter to leave her to die slowly. Prologue: Page 18 Kari sits in the eerie red glow of her Scimitar's cocpit, noting that she's been left to die and vocalises commands for her computer to emmit a broadwave distress signal, lower oxygen output and divert further power to life support. She comments that she should sleep and that her Augs will help keep her alive longer than most but its unlikely for anyone to find her out there. Her fighter is seen drifting by with some figure on top and the final panel reveals it to be a female in what seems to be a silver bodysuit, later revealed to be a JAK Category:Comic